Variants of the Perspective Closed Fuel Cycle, Based on REMIX-Technology

In the traditional closed fuel cycle, based on REMIX-technology (REgenerated MIXture of U and Pu oxides) the fuel composition is produced on the basis of a uranium and plutonium mixture from spent Light Water Reactor (LWR) fuel and additional natural uranium. In this case, there is some saving in the amount of natural uranium used. The basic features of the WWER-1000 fuel loadings with a new variant REMIX-fuel during multiple recycle in the closed nuclear fuel cycle are described in this paper. Such fuel compositions are produced on a basis of a uranium and plutonium mixture allocated at processing the spent fuel after irradiation in the WWER-1000 core, depleted uranium and fission material such as: 235U as a part of high-enriched uranium from the warheads superfluous for defense. Also here variants are considered of the perspective closed fuel cycle in which fissile feed materials for fuel manufacture is produced in the blankets of fast breeder reactors. The fissile material is 233U or Pu. The raw material is depleted uranium from the stocks of enrichment factories, or thorium. Natural uranium is not used in this case. The minimum feed material required for the REMIX technology in a closed fuel cycle was determined through calculations of different types of fissile and raw materials, with different cycle lengths and fuel-water ratios.